Swollen Lymph Nodes behind the Ear: 10 Causes and Treatments

by James Concato · Published October 20, 2017 · Updated August 15, 2022

What Does It Mean When You Have Swollen Lymph Nodes Behind Ear?

Lymph nodes are bean-shaped glands present throughout the body. They store the fluid and nutrients and help in flushing out the waste from the body. In addition, lymph nodes produce antibodies that fight off infections and foreign bodies.

When the nodes accumulate foreign substances, they swell and get enlarged. Swollen lymph nodes can be a scary thing. Swollen lymph nodes behind the ears can be just as frightening because they are usually associated with a health issue.

Many things could cause a swollen lymph node behind your ear. There are ten specific causes of swollen lymph nodes behind the ear.

What Causes Swollen Lymph Nodes Behind the Ear?

What causes swollen lymph nodes behind the ears? There are several causes of swollen glands behind the ear.

A lump behind the ear is caused by various issues, including infections, acute or blunt force injuries, autoimmune disorders, cancer, German measles, an abscessed tooth, an allergic reaction, influenza or rhinoviruses, strep throat, or lipoma.

Infections

Bacterial, fungal, or viral infections like mononucleosis can cause a lump behind the ear. Lymph nodes produce antibodies to fight the diseases, and the lymph nodes swell as more antibodies are produced.

Acute or Blunt Force Injuries

Swelling behind the ear can result from a blow behind the ear. Also, an accident or injury to the head or neck will cause swelling behind the ears due to the accumulation of antibodies.

Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune disorders like lupus or Hashimoto’s disease can cause enlarged lymph nodes behind the ear. Autoimmune diseases break down the immune system causing swelling behind the ear.

Cancer

Lumps behind the ear can be due to cancerous tumours that can lead to lymphoma or leukemia. Because cancer cells are foreign bodies, they accumulate in the nodes.

German Measles

Rubella virus causes a viral infection known as German measles. The virus causes swollen lymph nodes behind the ear.

Tooth Abscess

An abscess is a pocket that forms around the tooth allowing germs and pus to gather in the pocket. The germs and pus are objects foreign to the body, which causes swollen lymph nodes behind the ear.

An Allergic Reaction

Allergies often experienced during the spring when pollen counts are high can cause swollen lymph nodes behind the ear. Allergens are also foreign substances to the body which may accumulate in the nodes causing swelling behind the ear.

Influenza A or B and Rhino Virus

Influenza A or B, also known as the flu, and Rhinovirus, known as the common cold, can cause a lump behind the ear.

As your body fights these viruses, the immune system gets inflamed as it produces increased amounts of white blood cells. These accumulate in your lymph nodes, causing them to swell.

Strep Throat

Strep throat is common in children and spreads from child to child through crawling on a dirty floor or sharing infected toys. Streptococcus bacteria gather in the throat as the body fights the bacteria. As a result, white blood cells and antibodies accumulate in the lymph nodes causing swollen glands behind the ear.

Lipoma

A lipoma is a fatty lump forming between skin layers and can occur anywhere throughout the body. For example, a lipoma can be a lump behind your ear and is not associated with your lymph system.

Associated Symptoms of Swollen Lymph Nodes behind the Ear

It would help if you noticed symptoms associated with swollen lymph nodes behind the ear. Below are some of the symptoms:

Tender to touch or painful glands.
An increased body temperature due to infection.
Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing.
Warmth or redness of the area surrounding the lymph nodes.
A runny nose or a sore throat indicating an upper respiratory tract infection can be present with enlarged lymph nodes behind the ear.

A lump that is painless with no other symptoms is probably lipoma. You need to consult your physician if these symptoms don’t go away or worsen.

How to Treat Swollen Lymph Nodes behind the Ear?

Treatment for swelling behind the ears depends on the cause. Therefore, you must follow up with your physician to know the appropriate treatment. Swollen lymph node behind the ear treatments include:

Antibiotics should be used if bacterial infections cause swollen lymph nodes behind the ear. Please keep in mind that antibiotics are not effective in treating viruses. You should avoid antibiotics if viral infections cause swollen lymph nodes behind the ear.
Allergic reactions can be treated with anti-histamines and anti-inflammatory medication.
Pain killers may be used to relieve pain after consulting your physician.

Home remedies to treat swollen lymph nodes:

A warm, wet cloth put on the area can help relieve pain.
Pain from swollen lymph nodes behind the ear can be relieved with Advil, Aspirin, or Tylenol.
Rest is always recommended when you feel run down or your immune system is compromised.
Fungus and bacteria can be treated with a daily glass of apple cider vinegar.
Swollen lymph nodes behind the ear can be treated by gargling turmeric in water or salt water.
Cysts or abscesses can be treated using tea tree oil. Soak a Q-tip in tea tree oil and apply it to the area for a few minutes. Wash with oil-free soap immediately following the application.
Castor oil’s penetrating properties can also help. Massage the lump behind the ear with castor oil.

When to See a Doctor?

An enlarged lymph node behind the ear isn’t severe, and your body can take care of it. However, while an emergency room visit is not necessary, you should visit your doctor if you experience:

Painful or tender lump
Pain while moving your head or neck
Difficulty in swallowing
The lump spreads or grows.
Inflamed or redness around the area of the lump
The area ruptures of begins leaking pus
Hard or irregular lumps, or fixed position of the lump
Symptoms become worse over time.

It would help if you opted for home remedies to treat swollen lymph nodes behind the ear. However, if the home remedies fail to relieve you in a few days, it is essential to consult the doctor to know the exact cause.